CURRENT MISSION

Build good karma by being an excellent host before setting off on my own travel

ABOUT ME

Hi there, I'm Katie.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have hosted a few couch surfers in LA. I also produced a fictional comedy web series called "Couchers" based on 3 guys who couch surf in their hometown as a way of life. (It's worth mentioning that the series is not at all affiliated with this website/organization).

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

No couchsurfing experiences yet, but one summer I lived in a tent in the Alaskan backcountry working on a national park project with the Student Conservation Association.

Interests

I love to be outdoors, and enjoy hiking, biking, swimming, and am just starting to get into some rock climbing. I write short stories and poetry as a hobby, and also have a 55-gallon freshwater aquarium with lots of cool little fish. I like talking to people with different life experiences and am often inspired by the open and adventurous people I come across

• fish
• aquaria
• literature
• poetry
• design
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• fishing
• hiking
• skiing
• boxing
• rock climbing
• swimming
• psychology
• parks

Music, Movies, and Books

Authors - Kafka, Nabokov, David Foster Wallace, Anton Chekhov
Books - The Trial, Howl, Brief Interviews, Into Thin Air
Movies - Talented Mr. Ripley, Boogie Nights, Ace Ventura, Adaptation
Shows - Parks and Rec, How it's Made (that show is hypnotic)
Music - Streetlight Manifesto, New Orleans style (Dr. John, Rebirth Brass Band, Soul Rebels), Fiona Apple, Missy Elliot, Camille, Punch Brothers, Rage Against the Machine

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The most amazing thing I've done was a 15-minute microlite flight over Victoria Falls in Zambia. The plane was open-air (basically a hangglider with an engine) with just me and a pilot, and we went through the mist of the falls and saw a herd of elephants, hippoes, and crocodiles from the air.

Teach, Learn, Share

I could fill this whole box many times over with things I want to learn. Some specific things I'd like to learn: a language (I speak very poor French and would love to improve), how to play a musical instrument, and personal philosophies and spiritualities.

My educational background is in environmental analysis and English literature. I have a passion for parks and public spaces and have done quite a bit of research and professional work on urban public spaces. I'm really interested in looking at the ways globalization and transnationalism affect our use and understanding of public space, and how space can influence our personal identity. If you have an interest in urbanism, city planning and design, psychology, or identity studies, we'd probably have a lot to talk about.